Live Webcast: History & Future of Whales
Thursday, November 16, 2006 - 7 PM CT (Unfortunately that's 01:00am on Friday GMT, 02:00am Friday CET, or a far more pleasant Friday 12:00pm in Sydney)
Live Webcast
The History and Future of Whales
by Dr. Stephen R. Palumbi
Professor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station
What is the Lecture About?
Scientists use new technologies to reveal untold mysteries about whales and provide information on whale history that may be crucial to their survival in the future. Dr. Stephen Palumbi, a renowned marine biologist and professor at Stanford, will discuss how he uses genetic techniques to estimate historic whale populations and how his findings play an important role in decisions of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). He recently published in the journal Science that DNA evidence indicates that before commercial whaling began, whale populations were 10 times larger than scientists previously believed. The IWC guidelines state that there can be no whaling until populations have returned to at least 54% of their historic levels, but their estimates are based on unreliable whaling records kept by ships and dating back to the mid 19th century. According to these previous estimates, many whale populations have nearly recovered to the required 54% of their historic levels, but the new genetic analysis suggests it will take at least another 50 -100 years.
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Comments
These people who indiscriminately slaughter the whales for commecial purposes, are infact killing themselves off spiritually [as well as physically] because one of the main purposes of these highly intelligent animals, is to bring the fish from the deeps of the oceans, up towards the surface and the continents, to make it easier for mankind to come along and fish. The main purpose then of the dolphines and porpoises, is also to assist man, one of their jobs is to push these shoals further towards the coast lines, to make it easier for the fishermen to fish.
When you undersdtand everything has a unique purpose for being, how incredibly uncaring are these Japanese, and how they are dehumanising themselves thro' their actions.
Posted by: jayne | November 17, 2006 12:04 AM